Increasing Family Safety and Decreasing Parental Stress and Child\u2019s Social-Emotional Problems with Resolutions Approach: a Single-Case Experimental Design Study Protocol

Annemariek J W Sepers,Vera Van Der Werff,Trudy Mooren,Marija Maric,Carlijn De Roos

doi:10.1007/s10896-019-00057-z

Annemariek J W Sepers, Vera Van Der Werff + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-019-00057-z

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Abstract

The present study describes a Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) research protocol. The outlined research is aimed at investigating the effectiveness and potential mechanisms of the Resolutions Approach (RA), a multidisciplinary intervention to stop child abuse and enhance safety in the families. Given the heterogeneity of the population and innovativeness of the topic, a SCED with a baseline period (A-phase) followed by a treatment period (B-phase) is designed. Participants will be fifteen families with children between 8 and 18 years in which specific signs of current child abuse are determined by more than one informant. The RA is a 20-session protocol implemented in an individual, family and social network context. Assessments of primary (incidents of child abuse) and secondary (child’s emotional and behavioral problems, parental stress, closeness of child-parent relationship) outcomes will take place at the start of the baseline period, at pre- and post-treatment, and at two follow-ups. Personalised, idiosyncratic, assessments of the main family problems will be administered on a weekly base. At post-treatment, a qualitative interview is administered in the families examining the most potent mechanisms of change and treatment components. During social network meetings, safety and openness of communication about child abuse is assessed. This study responds to a need for evidence-based interventions for mental health workers dealing with child abuse. Limitations such as bias in the parental reports of child abuse are discussed. Trial registration: Dutch Trial Register: NTR6757. Registered (retrospectively) 04 November 2017.

Highlights

Child abuse refers to sexual, physical and emotional abuse and neglect, being a witness to chronic or severe domestic violence, and educational neglect (Sedlak et al 2010)
The main goal of this article is to describe the research protocol being utilized in the study investigating the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary treatment Resolutions Approach (RA) in families with alleged child abuse
Despite the high prevalence rates and the severe consequences of child abuse, we know little about effective approaches to stop child abuse and enhance safety

Summary

Introduction

Child abuse refers to sexual, physical and emotional abuse and neglect, being a witness to chronic or severe domestic violence, and educational neglect (Sedlak et al 2010). The overall estimated prevalence rates of child abuse and neglect vary between three and 363 per 1000 depending on the type of abuse (physical vs emotional) and informant (self vs otherreported) (Stoltenborgh et al 2015). According to the Fourth National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (Sedlak et al 2010) 39,5 per 1000 children in the United States were maltreated in 1 year. In the Netherlands, the year prevalence is 33,8 per 1000 children, according to the Second National Prevalence Study on Maltreatment of Children and Youth (Euser et al 2013).

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